The NWSL dropped its end-of-year award shortlists on Monday, as the league gives standout players and coaches props for a quality 2025 regular season.
Back-to-back Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga is up for her second straight NWSL MVP award, with the Current star joined by San Diego Wave forward Delphine Cascarino, Gotham striker Esther González, North Carolina Courage attacker Manaka Matsukubo, and fellow Kansas City forward Bia Zaneratto as international front line stars swept the 2025 MVP shortlist.
Matsukubo is also up for 2025 NWSL Midfielder of the Year alongside Kenza Dali (San Diego), Debinha (Kansas City), Claire Hutton (Kansas City), and Olivia Moultrie (Portland).
Following a record-breaking 2025 NWSL Shield win, the Current received a league-leading eight nominations, with the aforementioned Chawinga, Zaneratto, Debinha, and Hutton joined by Goalkeeper of the Year nominee Lorena, Coach of the Year candidate Vlatko Andonovski, and Defender of the Year shortlisters Kayla Sharples and Izzy Rodriguez.
Notably, the defending champion Orlando Pride is the only club in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs to field zero end-of-season nods, while only Matsukubo, Rookie of the Year nominee Riley Tiernan (Angel City), and Defender of the Year candidate Avery Patterson (Houston Dash) represent teams finishing below the postseason cutoff line.
How to vote for the 2025 NWSL Awards
A weighted scale of players (40%), coaches and leadership (25%), media (25%), and fans (10%) will determine the 2025 NWSL award winners as well as the league's Best XI First and Second Teams, all of which will be revealed in a live ESPN2 broadcast at 5:30 PM ET on Wednesday, November 19th.
Fan voting for the 2025 NWSL Awards is open until 8 PM ET on Wednesday, November 12th.
The 2025 NWSL Award Shortlists
- Most Valuable Player: Delphine Cascarino (San Diego Wave), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current), Esther González (Gotham FC), Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage), Bia Zaneratto (Kansas City Current)
- Midfielder of the Year: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave), Debinha (Kansas City Current), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)
- Defender of the Year: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Kayla Sharples (Kansas City Current)
- Goalkeeper of the Year: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign), Lorena (Kansas City Current)
- Rookie of the Year: Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC), Riley Tiernan (Angel City)
- Coach of the Year: Vlatko Andonovski (Kansas City Current), Adrián González (Washington Spirit), Beverly Yanez (Racing Louisville)
No. 8-seed Gotham FC pulled off an historic upset on Sunday, downing the No. 1 Kansas City Current 2-1 in extra time to oust the winningest team in league history from the 2025 NWSL Playoffs.
Million-dollar midseason signing Jaedyn Shaw put the Bats on the board in the 68th minute, before Kansas City secured a second-half stoppage-time equalizer via defender Ellie Wheeler.
The match initially appeared destined for a penalty kick shootout, until late Gotham substitute Katie Stengel found the back of the net in the 121st minute — the latest game-winning goal in NWSL history.
"Underdog, my ass — we are not an underdog," Shaw exclaimed postmatch. "We came into this game knowing people thought that we were just the last seed that barely made it into the playoffs. That's not who we are."
The bid for the double never took flight for the 2025 Shield-winning Current, with key starting forwards 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga and USWNT prospect Michelle Cooper ruled out with injury ahead of Sunday's quarterfinal clash.
In their stead, Kansas City forward Bia Zaneratto started the match despite dealing with an MCL sprain, gutting out 114 minutes before Bayley Fiest came in as relief.
"As much as we're disappointed in the final result today, we're not going to allow this result to define our season," said KC manager Vlatko Andonovski. "I think that our players, even today, can walk with their heads up."
How to watch Gotham in the 2025 NWSL semifinals
No. 8 Gotham now faces the defending champion No. 4 Orlando Pride in the 2025 NWSL semifinals — a club with whom the Bats split 2-0 regular-season results.
The match will kick of at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on ABC.
Brazil officially rained on the homecoming parade of back-to-back Euro winners England on Saturday, when the 2025 Copa América Femenina champions humbled the Lionesses 2-1 in their friendly matchup — despite competing shorthanded for nearly 70 minutes.
World No. 7 Brazil took an early lead behind first-half strikes from forward Bia Zaneratto and attacker Dudinha, before midfielder Angelina received a straight red card for a foul against the Lionesses' Ella Toone in the 21st minute.
No. 4 England did manage a few clear-cut chances, grabbing a goal back from Brazil early in the second half via a sharply shot penalty from attacking midfielder Georgia Stanway, though the effort was not enough to overcome the South American titans.
With two years until the Brazil-hosted 2027 World Cup, both top-ranked teams will look to learn from the weekend result.
"We start slow and we make these mistakes," said England manager Sarina Wiegman. "If I knew why, I would have solved it straight away."
"After the red card there was resilience and maximum effort," said Brazil head coach Arthur Elias. "You have to have that in this national team: spirit and dedication."
How to watch England in action this week
The No. 4 Lionesses' homecoming series continues with a Tuesday friendly against No. 15 Australia at Derby's Pride Park Stadium.
The match kicks off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on Paramount+.